Bamboo is as hard as most hardwoods and highly resistant to moisture.
Tips
Most bamboo flooring has a natural blonde or amber color.
Darker tones are available through a process called carbonizing which subjects planks to high temperatures.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Carbonized bamboo is softer than uncarbonized forms and more susceptible to scratching.
Bamboo Flooring Cost
This material is priced at about the same level as most hardwood floors.
Cut bamboo stalks simply continue growing and replenishing themselves for future harvesting.
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
Disadvantages: May Contain Toxins
But the manufacturing processes create other environmental concerns.
This adhesive often contains urea-formaldehyde that can outgas into the air.
Cheaper products may contain more formaldehyde, while more expensive products may use alternative materials in the resins.
Maintenance and Repair
Cleaning
Bamboo is relativelyeasy to clean and maintain.
Just sweep or vacuum it regularly to remove small particle debris.
An occasional damp mop or a non-wax, non-alkaline, hardwood or bamboo floor cleanser works well, too.
The Spruce / Luyi Wang
Water Damage
When compared to hardwood, bamboo is slightly more resistant to water damage.
A scratched or marred bamboo floor can usually be refinished by sanding it down and then reapplying sealing coats.
Engineered bamboo flooring, however, usually cannot be refinished.
Swelling, Shrinking, and Cracking
Humidity affects bamboo somewhat more severely than it does hardwood flooring.
In a very dry environment, bamboo planks can shrink.
Design
Bamboo is a trendy flooring material that can elevate the elegance of a space almost instantly.
It has an appearance and a feel that is similar to hardwood yet with a distinctive aesthetic.
Bamboo can work with almost any home and decor style, though it is best suited for contemporary options.
The tongue-and-groove boards are usually blind-nailed to the subfloor through the edge of the boards.
Solid bamboo planks can also be glued down over an existing concrete floor.
Installation of nail-down or glue-down bamboo planks is usually handled by professionals.
There are also thinner forms of solid bamboo designed for floating floor installation.
Engineered Bamboo
Engineered bamboo is manufactured with a surface veneer bonded to a plywood or MDF core.
These products always use the click-lock floating floor installation method.
Engineered bamboo is less expensive than solid bamboo, and it is usually installed by DIYers.
Raw bamboo planks can also be stained before top coating with a urethane sealer.
If this is your situation, you’ll find some very good bamboo flooring products that omit these chemicals.
Is Bamboo Flooring Right for You?
Bamboo works well anywhere in your home where hardwood flooring would also work.
Bamboo will be appealing to you if you’re interested in using natural, renewable resources.
How much does bamboo flooring cost?HomeAdvisor.
